*** Black Mage’s POV ***

I expanded my mana and sensed something funny up ahead. Some people have been peeking at me from afar. Were they mercenaries?

They looked like weaklings, though. Well, no matter. All lives will eventually become my strength. I was planning to sacrifice more lives anyway, so it would be nice if they came closer.

However, they eventually ran away until I could no longer sense them. Hah, is this what the mercenaries in this city amount to?

The mercenaries were weak, their cowardice amusing. I bet this place held no challenge, either—that’s what I thought until I sensed what lay ahead.

I expanded my mana to understand it better and detected unfamiliar traces of woven magic ahead. While most cowards would flee after sensing such unfamiliar things, my curiosity was piqued instead.

As one who has studied the taboos of magic for ages, I sought to uncover what mysteries this world offers. I couldn’t help but follow my curiosity and walk towards these traces.

‘Well, look at that. Someone is playing with mana.’

Someone imbued mana into stones and scattered them around the place. I’m not sure what these are, but my instinct told me it was a trap someone deliberately made to kill me.

‘It’s fun.’

It’s a prey that doesn’t know its place and dares to hunt the hunter. Let’s see whether the prey has what it takes to kill the hunter.

I felt intrigued and went against my instinct to run away. Instead, I took a step to the exact place where the concentration of mana was the highest. And then, suddenly.

‘Huh?!’

The Stones lit up so brightly that they began to emit white lights that soared high to the skies. I widened my eyes at the absurd sight. However, what surprised me was not the pillars of mana but the symbols inscribed on the stones.

‘Ancient language? No, if it’s that symbol, isn’t it the runic language?!’

The runes stirred some distant memory, a single symbol learned long ago from my lord. But what is this? Who in this age could wield such ancient knowledge?

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Suddenly, a white dome appeared and trapped me inside. Then, I felt a sharp object hitting the mana shield I instinctively activated behind me. I took a glance and saw a thrown dagger falling to the ground. It was proof that someone attacked me. But who? And how? How could I not even notice my assailant’s presence and attack until now?

“Haa… I didn’t know activating rune formations would undo my stealth. I would use [Vorpal Thrust] and succeeded the first strike if not for that.”

I turned to face my opponent and finally understood why I hadn’t noticed him until now. He was someone I knew well. Rather than personally knowing him, should I say I have heard so much about him?

“Bianca’s disciple… I presume?”

The young boy met my gaze without flinching. "I am.”

Silence fell as we sized one another up. I knew little of this adversary, but something in his poised confidence gave me pause.

“Is this dome also your doing?”

“Yes.”

“You’ve done intriguing work with the runes, Bianca’s disciple. Though your dagger attack lacks refinement, I acknowledge your skill and courage. Few have ever dared to challenge a master of the dark arts such as I. So what makes you believe you can emerge victorious?”

Bianca’s disciple met his eyes steadily. “I do not claim victory yet. I am simply used to fighting enemies that were impossible to defeat. And it’s no different this time too. Confident or not, I have always done the best that I could in everything I did. And above all, I am used to hunting black magicians like you. So if we really have to fight, I will use that experience to defeat you here, Black Mage, by any means.”

“Hahaha. It seems like you forgot, but I am no ordinary black magician.”

“I know. You don’t have to tell me that. I can see everything just fine after all.”

His eyes shone for a moment.

“Furthermore, this dome should be able to prevent your escape, increasing my chances of winning.

Was a mere cage supposed to be able to trap me? I laughed at the ridiculousness.

“A pleasant cage, but you’ll find me far from tamed.”

“You can try and go out by force. See if that’ll work.”

“Heh, still bluffing, I see. There’s no need for me to escape in the first place, but do you think saying that will make me anxious?”

Bianca’s disciple kept his expression calm and replied levelly. “This dome can contain even the strongest of mages. You’ll find no weaknesses. Ever.”

Does he not know who I am for him to say that? Or was he mocking me? I felt something wrong with his words. So, I shot one of my strongest attacks towards the barrier to break free. However--

“What?!”

Let alone destroy it. I couldn’t even scratch the dome. The boy laughed as if amused at my reaction.

“Do you believe me now? You can’t come out with normal means.”

I trembled with rage and frustration at his words. One of my strongest attacks, and I still could not destroy a dome made by this small boy? I glared at the boy with murderous intent. Back then, I didn’t know that the hunted could actually become the hunter or that this boy was a much more dangerous existence than I thought.